Combined skirt-supporter and waist-holder.



N0. 636,l49. Patented-net. 3|, I899. J. c. KIMSEY.

COMBINED SKIRT SUPPORTER AND WAIST HOLDER.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

- Fig. '1.

UNITED STATES PATENT P IcE.

COMBINED SKIRT-SUPPORTER AND WAIST-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 636,149, dated October31, 1899.

Application filed 12, 1899. $erialNo. 712,729. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES COLUMBUS KIM- sEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin a Oombined Skirt-Supporter and Waist-Holder, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention is an improved device for use in connection with a beltand adapted to be worn by women for the purpose of supporting the skirtto give the proper set to the same and also to provide for holding theshirt-waist down at the back, the engagement of the garments with thedevice being such that said garments can be adjusted to the desiredextent.

With these ends in view the invention is designed to produce a combinedskirt-supporter and waist-holder that shall be effective in use and inwhich the operation of placing both the skirt and waist in engagementtherewith can be readily and conveniently accomplished. Provision ismade for the production of a device of this character in which thesimplicity of construction will permit of its being manufactured andsold at small cost.

The invention further consists particularly in providing the plate withslots for slidably connecting it to a belt and forming the prongs ofwires passed through perforations in the plate, said prongs projectingin opposite directions and located on opposite sides of the plate, asand for the purposes hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification,and in which like letters of reference indicate similar parts throughoutthe several views, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a combinedskirt-supporter and waist-holder constructed in ac cordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a view of the plate detached from the belt lookingat the inner side of said plate. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional Viewon the line 3 3 of Fig. at is a vertical sectional view on the line 4 atof Fig. 1.

In carrying out my invention I employ a belt A for retaining the skirtand waist holder in place, and though said belt may be provided with anyapproved style of buckle I prefer to use the one herein shown, as it issimple and well adapted for the purpose of the invention. This buckleconsists of two partsa slide or loop B, which is attached to one end ofthe belt or band A, and a plate B, having a slot by which it is attachedto the other end of the belt or band, the plate being provided withprongs b. In use the end of the belt carrying the plate is passedthrough the slide or loop, so that the former will be on the inner sideof said belt, with the prongs projecting toward the latter to engagetherewith, and by drawing the belt taut the prongs will be forced intothe same and hold the adjustment. Though this style of buckle ispreferred, any of the ordinary buckles in common use may be employed.

The device, which is intended for engagement with the skirt and waistand which forms the essential part of my invention, is made up of aplate G, rectangular in shape, with the lower edge preferably curved, asshown, and at each end of this plate is a vertical slot 0, said slotsforming the means by which the plate is slidably mounted upon the beltor band A. The plate is slightly curved longitudinally to more nearlyconform to the body of the wearer and is provided on opposite sides withprongs or spurs d and d, those on the inner side of the plate(designated by the letter 01) projecting downward, while those on theother side (lettered 61) project upward, and it will be noted that asingle line of spurs are on the inner side and a double line on theouter side, "for the purpose hereinafter explained. These spurs areformed of short lengths of wire passed through perforations in theplate, and in forming the double line of spurs the sharpened ends of thewires D are bent upward after being passed through the perforations, asshown in Fig. 4, while the ends of the wires D are bent downward, asshown in Fig.4, the lower ends being sharpened to form the spurs d, theupper bent ends serving to hold said wires in place upon the plate. Theplate is also provided at the central part of its upper end with atransverse slot 0 for the engagement of a hook attached to a basque whensuch a garment is used instead of a shirt-waist.

In use the belt is placed around the body of the wearer at the waist,and after the ICO spurs d on the inner side of the plate below the beltare pressed into engagement with the lower part of the shirt-waist saidgarment can then be adjusted by moving the plate downward, after whichthe belt is tightened to securely hold this adjustment. The skirt isthen fastened around the waist over the belt, and by raising the back ofthe skirt and placing the skirt-band in engagement with the double rowof spurs d said garment may also be adjusted to give the proper set tothe same. It will be noted, therefore, that in use the whole device iscovered by the upper part of the skirt and does not interfere with thewearing of an outer belt or sash.

The device forms a very simple means of supporting a skirt and holdingdown the shirtwaist at the back, and the placing of these garments inengagement with the short spurs can be readily and convenientlyaccomplished. It is also apparent that the flat plate lying close to thebody and being of thin material will not indicate the presence of thedevice when the skirt-band has been placed over the same. The device isvery durable, and as the spurs or pins are made of small-gage wire theywill not injure the garments with which they engage, but will besufficiently strong to support said garments in an adjusted position. Asthe shirt-waist requires only a slight hold on the device, a single rowof spurs is suiiicient for holding the same; but as those which engagethe skirt are required to partly support said skirt a larger number arerequired.

It is obvious that instead of forming the spurs of wire, as shown andhereinbefore described, it may be found desirable to stamp them from theplate, similar to the manner of forming the spurs on the buckle B. Itherefore do not wish to confine my protection to what is hereinprecisely shown and described, but reserve the right to make suchchanges as may come within the spirit and scope of my claims.

I claim 1. A device for the purposes set forth, comprising a plateprovided with perforations, two sets of wires having their endssharpened and passed through the perforations in the plate from oppositesides of said plate, the sharpened ends of one set of wires being bentupwardly at one side of the plate and those of the other set bentdownwardly at the other side of said plate; together with a belt or bandpassed through vertical slots in the plate, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. A device for the purposes set forth, comprising a plate having slotstherein, spurs projecting from the opposite sides of said plate; a beltor band passed through the slots in the plate, a plate connected to oneend of the belt or band and provided with spurs, and a loop attached tothe other end of the band or belt, substantially as herein shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

W. B. PRICHETT, A. B. GORDON DAVIS.

